


Burn

by XthirteenX



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, Fire, Gen, Implied Relationships, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 13:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16893207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XthirteenX/pseuds/XthirteenX
Summary: This has been done plenty of times but with the new intro I had to write something, so enjoy a short story of the death of Caleb's parents.





	Burn

"If only things could have been different." Caleb's voice was less sentimental than his words would have implied. 

"You were lucky to have heard them." Eodwulf said as he gave the cart one last pat to ensure it wouldn't tip away once left alone.

"Yes." The redhead inclined his head as they walked a short distance away from the house. They stood, Astrid and Eodwulf with their hands clasped behind their backs, Caleb raised one over his face as his eyes closed. He brought the hand down toward his chest as his palm began to warm with the budding spell. His wrist turned outward as he braced his opposite hand against the back of the first. Heat radiated off of his entire form and his features turned sharp and serious against the yellow-orange light. 

"Brennen." The familiar word swirled with arcane energy on his tongue as the spell discharged. The home was burning before Caleb had closed his mouth. He opened his eyes as the beginning flames licked and curled around the edges of the home, slipping through gaps in the wooden panels and scorched the wood of the cart. 

The screams were unexpected. Eodwulf's parents passed in their sleep. A dagger to the throat for each of them. Then their hands removed. Their blasphemous tongues liberated from their mouths. They hadn't made a sound. 

Astrid's parents fell to the ground with choking gasps and tears rolling down their faces as they reached for her boots. 

But Caleb's parents had apparently woken up and encountered the smoke and flames and they screamed and screamed as the bonfire ate away at the house.

"We are ready." Excitement touched Astrid's tone beneath the level tone and neutral expression. 

"Caleb?" Her gaze moved to their companion and she frowned at the look on his face. "Caleb, what's wrong?"

Eodwulf placed a hand on the redhead's slack shoulder but the other boy didn’t react to the touch. A far off look in his glazed eyes. 

"Its time to go. You did the right thing here." Astrid said softly, sliding a hand down to twine her fingers with the still warm hand of Caleb's.

"We protected the Empire. They were dissenters." Eodwulf reminded him but their companion didn't move. He hardly blinked, glazed eyes locked on the house even as the frantic screams from inside grew fainter and fainter. 

"Astrid..." Eodwulf turned his eyes on his other companion whose jaw tensed briefly before she nodded. 

"A few more moments." Her soft voice was barely audible over the roar of the flames. Their companion's affinity for evocation was of course impressive, but it certainly wasn't subtle. It wouldn't be long before someone came to investigate the pillar of smoke that stretched out lazily toward the sky. 

"Its time to leave." Eodwulf shook his head.

"Not yet." Her gaze was fixed somewhere away from them, toward the blazing house but not in the same unsettling way as Caleb's. 

"Alright," Whatever she had been searching for had seemingly been found, "we can go now." 

There was no more screaming Eodwulf realized. Only the sounds of splintering wood, roaring flames, and the popping and crackling of the thatch roof collapsing bit by bit met his ears.

Astrid's face was blank and cold as she turned away from the small home they all thought they knew so well. Her eyes determined and jaw set tightly as she dropped Caleb's trembling hand. 

"We will send someone to take care of him." Her voice was even and Eodwulf fell into step beside her. Caleb slumped down as if a weight were dropped on his shoulders and his shaking hands rose to cradle his head as he curled in on himself. 

Caleb wasn't coming, they both knew. Master Trent could decide what to do with his failed protege. He wasn't their concern any longer.

They had a graduation ceremony to prepare for.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this with a different name for Caleb (he gives his name out way too easily for a guy who is in hiding, theres no way Caleb is his real name) but for ease of reading I changed it back.
> 
> Also I wrote this at about 4 am with about 5 hours of sleep in the past 48 hours so... sorry.  
> (And I really should be writing my until dawn fics instead of this...)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all have a good day!


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